I've Made a Huge Tiny Mistake

…when Bobby Abreu is dealt. For all the ire that is thrown at this man by many fans and journalists, it says something when the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Tigers, Angels, and perhaps Cardinals are all interested in trading for him. The Phillies may actually get some good value back for him because of all this interest, but the end result will be to have traded one of the best hitters this franchise has ever had simply because he costs a lot of money for a team that has made a lot of bad moves. If/when he wins a World Series with one of these teams, Huge Tiny Mistake hopes he is happy and understands that he had many fans in Philadelphia who loved his play, even if the boos and taunts about his defense or ‘walking too much’ were louder than the cheers.

We’re not going to list the stats that show how much of a rock he has been at the plate, and we’re not going to show where he lists all-time on the Phillies’ offensive lists. It’s been re-hashed several times before, and it won’t stop anyone from believing that he’s ‘lazy’ or that somehow fumbling a ball in the outfield once in a while should be an afterthought because of how much he brings with his bat. People blame Bobby unfairly for this team losing throughout his career, as though his entire game is ‘hollow’ or he is some kind of ‘fraud’. For christ’s sake, Luis Sojo has won multiple World Series rings, that is not the way one judges a player.

It almost seems like a forgone conclusion now that Bobby will be dealt. And we will be worse off for it.

HammRadio.com -- Earlier today, I received an e-mail from Comcast Sports Net:

Mike Cunningham, tune in today as Allen Iverson addresses the media for the first time regarding his future with the Sixers. Comcast SportsNet will carry his press conference live at 4 p.m. today.

I'm glad they decided to make it personal.

But then I go to KYW NewsRadio and they tell me:

The team says pitcher Brett Myers is rejoining the rotation following his arrest on wife-abuse charges several weeks ago. A press conference with Myers is scheduled for 4pm -- hear it live on KYW.

Despite the lack of personal attention, I have to say the Brett Myers press conference, trumps Allen Iverson right? Although, we all know how great Allen Iverson press conferences are.

But if you are going to play Top Trumps [What is Top Trumps?] as far as Press Conferences, the Myers conference is the one you have to watch... BUT... if we're talking about the GAME... and NOT Practice... I think we all know that the Answer trumps them all. Watch this video of AI's top 10 plays. The one from his rookie year? where he takes Michael Jordan out of his jock is absolutely phenomenal. Watch this video and ask yourself whether you still want AI here.

Brett Myers sole appearance on You Tube, features the always polite Red Sox fans booing him and chanting "Beatah, Beatah"... which sounded offly a lot like "Jetah... Jetah".

So who Trumps who??? Press Conference: Brett Myers. On the Field/Court: Allen Iverson

I've Made a Huge Tiny Mistake

Why is Barbaro still alive? He just underwent a three-hour surgery in Kennett Square. He is on his sixth cast for his leg. He's got 27 screws in his leg now. And he's not feeling well. What kind of life is that? Why is the horse being forced to live in pain? Here's why:

SI.com - More Sports - Barbaro's condition is "potentially serious" - Wednesday July 12, 2006 11:14AM:

Barbaro's recovery from the catastrophic injury had been going smoothly until the series of setbacks. On Saturday, the colt underwent three hours of surgery to replace hardware that had been inserted into the leg May 21, the day after the Preakness.

"He's facing tough odds and his condition is guarded," Richardson said.

NuggetsHoops.com: iverson in our radar...:

giving up an old pg with no jumpshot, and an angry power forward with a questionable knee and getting one of the league's best offensive players and a great playoff performer, as well as one of the best shooters in the league.

so close.

apparently talks are still on though...working on a 3 way with philly to get iverson.

Looks like our roller derby scene is starting to get noticed out of town. You catch a game yet?

I've Made a Huge Tiny Mistake

As stated previously, Ryan Howard was set to participate in the Home Run Derby tonight… and he just became the second Phillie in a row (Bobby Abreu won it in 2005) to win the damn thing, besting New York Met David Wright in the finals. He had several magestic home runs, a few traveling over 450 feet out of the ballpark and into the river. He also pelted the ESPN broadcast tent with several dingers, getting as close as 8 feet or so to hitting the booth. It was a tremendous night for Ryan and his family, and far more exciting than the All-Star game will be. Great job Ryan, and carry it into the 2nd half of the season.

Does this count as a win over the Mets?

Just when it seems it couldn't get worse for the Phillies, it seems that senlity has set in for owner Bill Giles.

The season has been horrible. They are 11.5 games behind the Mets. The manager is on the hotseat as are two thirds of the outfield and every pitcher not named Tom Gordon. Their "best" pitcher was arrested for beating his wife in public. Etcetera, etc. I wonder why I am surprised at the interview Bill Giles gave that was published on Philly.com . I guess it's the total lack of understanding and reality. Here are some wonderful comments from the interview:

Billy Wagner says that the Phillies have "as much talent talent as [the Mets]". That "there is something lacking there". That the team needs to be broken up. The funny thing is that the papers disregard him. The Phillies laugh it off. But you may not like some of the things that Billy says, but you have a hard time finding fault with anything he's said this last time. The Phils are talented, but they don't win, and it's management and lack of leadership. Why argue with him - this type of publicity is maybe what is needed to embarrass the ownership into changing. Remember when SI called the Clippers the worst team in all of sports? We need someone on a national level to do an expose on the Phillies. The consistency of their badness is not to be rivaled. Not by the Clippers, not by the Buccaneers, not by anyone. No one can point to our level of ineptitude and say they have worse.

I've Made a Huge Tiny Mistake

Like Balls, Sticks, and Stuff, we believe that Bobby Abreu deserves to go to the all-star game. He leads the league in getting on-base, is on pace for plenty of RBI, runs, and stolen bases, and has been snubbed so many times in the past that he deserves to go now. Sure, Nomar Garciaparra is also having a great year, but he has played 20 fewer games, and that MUST be taken into account.

So far he’s only third place behind Garciaparra and Chris Capuano. Vote Bobby for the all-star game: linkage

I've Made a Huge Tiny Mistake

That’s the conclusion of a Hardball Times article which explores the reasons that the Phillies, expected to contend in the National League, have ‘phlopped’. How bad have they been? Since May 16th, the Phillies starting rotation has had a 6.61 ERA, and only Cory Lidle has been able to go 5 innings every time out (to the tune of a 5.07 ERA in 10 starts). Cory Lidle has been our ace. Cory Lidle. How many more times can that be said without the severity of it sinking in? Cory Lidle is our ace right now. So what rotation should be out there? It really can’t get any worse, so why not go with Lidle, Mathieson, Hamels, Mathieson, Brito rotation and see what we have in these younger arms? Look to deal Lidle and Lieber for anything at this point.

Thursday, July 6 at 7pm
At the Rotunda: 4014 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA

Sports can express the worst -- and at times the most creative, exciting, and political -- features of our society.

Join us for a discussion with two insightful authors:

Dave Zirin, Press Action's 2005 Sportswriter of the Year, has been called "an icon in the world of progressive sports." He is the author of the book "What's My Name, Fool?: Sports and Resistance in the United States" and the weekly sports column Edge of Sports. Dave is also a columnist for SLAM magazine and a regular contributor to The Nation.

Neil deMause is a co-author of the Baseball Prospectus book "Baseball Between the Numbers" and co-author of "Field of Schemes: How The Great Stadium Swindle Turns Public Money Into Private Profit." He is also a writer for The Village Voice and runs the stadium funding-watch website fieldofschemes.com.

Books will be available for purchase.

Sponsored by Bindlestiff Books
events -at- bindlestiffbooks -dot- com
215-222-2432

I've Made a Huge Tiny Mistake

By the time we all wake up tomorrow, your Philadelphia 76ers may very well have traded Allen Iverson, the rest of the team, moved back to Syracuse, and fired that old guy that takes the tickets. Billy King appears to be trying to work his ‘magic’ in making a trade that is as complicated as possible in order to not appear like he got swindled in dealing Allen Iverson. Here is what Billy has said about the matter:

“I doubt if we will move up,” King said. “There’s been a lot of conversation, talking to people, but right now it doesn’t look as good. That could change within the hour. You get some crazy phone calls at this time.”

Philly Sports net - The Sixers are auditioning players for the draft which takes place Wednesday night in New York city. They could go several ways with the 13th pick depending on who is still available at that spot and if they trade up or down in the draft. There is a possibility that they will trade up from 13 into the top 8 picks to grab one of the many talented players that would be up for grabs there. Personally, I think they will stay at the 13 spot and go after a point guard or a small forward/power forward.

The Sixers seem to have their eyes on several players for the 13th pick. As always the Sixers announce each year that they are looking at possibly drafting a European player but end up passing them all up on draft day. On that note, here are some possible picks excluding Europeans:

Marcus Williams - PG, UConn - Williams is a very good point guard and would start immediately if he was taken by the Sixers. Only problem is that he will most likely be taken around the 9th or 10th spot so don’t rule out a trade up for Williams here.

Hilton Armstrong - PF/C, UConn - Williams’ teammate has lots of potential especially on the defensive end. Armstrong is very similar to former Sixer PF Theo Ratliff who was stellar on defense. Fortunately for the Sixers, it looks as if Hilton should still be on the draft board at 13.

Read the rest of this article

Aaron Rowand and Bobby Abreu collided in yesterday’s game when they both went for a ball in ‘no-man’s land’. Rowand had called off Bobby but Bobby obviously didn’t hear him and ended up plowing into Rowand and Rowand lost a handle on the ball. If this doesn’t sum up the Phillies, what does? Two guys going hard at the ball and just plain fucking up. They try, but fail miserably in a memorable, hurtful way.

Anyway, ‘the catch’ was supposed to have inspired the rest of this team to a huge winning streak and to gutty, gritty ball. Obviously this was all crap, because players cannot inspire one another, they all play their own little games within the game. The player who gets on base 45% of the time has flaws in his game (Bobby’s bad defense), the same as the player who runs into walls(Rowand’s bad plate discipline). Players are not lazy or stupid, they simply have flaws which can be correctable or are simply how they play the game.

It remains to be seen whether the Phillies can get out of this extended, hurtful funk. But one thing is clear: players cannot inspire one another. They simply are what they are, and the fans must live with it. Bobby will not be running into any walls, and it’s a wonder why people actually want him to, as his tremendous offensive output outweighs his off-putting defense. Aaron Rowand will never be a very disciplined hitter, and that’s OK as he is what he is. But this lack of discipline is hurting the team more than bad right field defense.

I’m not sure if the above rant made sense.